Rajpreet (she/her) is currently based in Tkaronto and is a fourth-year student in International Development Studies co-op and majoring in Human Geography at University of Toronto Scarborough. Her alternative map, entitled Route 38, harnesses autobiography and memory to 're-story' this crucial but often unreliable bus service for transit-bound students - and other travelers - in Scarborough. Her map illustrates the ways in which the lives of many low-income, racialized and immigrant residents of the Greater Toronto Area become irrevocably entangled with the (often unpredictable) rhythms of public transit in underserved areas and neighbourhoods.
I was a student who moved to Scarborough, hence I had to be dependent on transit, as my trips to the grocery store were based the accessibility by bus or asking a friend with a car to take me. Besides groceries, my daily life was controlled by the transit system as I was unable to go to some areas or frequented certain areas, simply due to the transit schedule. There is a lot folks who dependent on transit which is often overcrowded and not on schedule, which can disrupt and control our lives. There is also a lot of times where I avoided a trip to groceries or to go out for the evening due to the transit dependency that I experienced living in Scarborough. The lack of dependable and safe transit for folks in Scarborough is also exacerbated by racialized, low income and immigrant nature of Scarborough – our transit needs are not taken seriously or improved.
Route 38 – Highland Creek runs from University of Toronto Scarborough to the Scarborough Town Centre, where you can connect to RT and the green line to reach downtown. It usually runs every 10 to 15 minutes and can be used instead of the 905 – Eglinton East Express or 95 - York Mills depending on your needs. My personal experience with this route is using it for errands and to do things with my friends. Transferring is a headache, so restaurants along this route became ideal. There are issues of overcrowding on most routes and especially on the RT at STC and this route as many routes in Scarborough were never on schedule.
Beauty Supply Store
During second year in a particular intense winter night, my friend and I were trying to figure something to do for the night. We both did not have cars and there is nothing to do that is walking distance to the UTSC campus. We also did not want to bus downtown in the winter and then have to worry about commuting back at night in the cold. Hence, we went to the Beauty Supply Store to pick up skin care products. My friend was looking for a wig so we tried a few on. It ended up being a really fun night and a practice of self-care and we were able to make it home quickly.
First Nuit Blanche
The first Nuit Blanche in Scarborough was in 2018, and as my third time attending Nuit, it was the first time that I didn’t have to pass Scarborough Town Centre to get to the exhibits. It was really rewarding to see the festival come to life in Scarborough and look the at the exhibits and projections on the Civic Centre. Also, since Nuit cannot happen this year, I’m glad I got to experience the first one for Scarborough and hopefully there is a continuing of centering Scarborough artists and the Scarborough art scene.
Third Year Housing
My housing was off Neilson in third year so it was the stop that I would use to get home or get to places. It was also the stop that I had to wait at with friends. It is really insane to think about all of my time spent waiting at bus stops, especially during a pandemic where that is not a regular part of my day anymore. However, I had a lot of fun at this off-campus housing with potlucks, Mario Kart game nights and pulling all nighters to study.
Waiting for the RT
When I first arrived in Scarborough for university, and I took the RT, it was a moment of excitement to reach downtown and experience all that it had to offer. By third year, downtown stopped being this place of metropolitan expectations and my experience changed to annoyance with the overcrowding and waiting to reach there. However, I often took the RT and green line with my friends and it actually give us fruitful moments in developing our friendship further.